Video games - Silkroad Online

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	Video games - Silkroad Online

Silkroad Online (also known as SRO or Silk) is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) which was recently in beta testing, but went gold on February 21st and is free forever. It is created by the South Korean company JOYMAX Co.. Much of the background of the game is based on the Silk Road.

Gameplay

Silkroad is primarily focused around the theme of trading. The game provides players with the choice to assume the roles as one of three different jobs after level 20: a merchant, a hunter or a thief. A merchant is a job which involves transporting goods between towns and guarding their merchandise against hostile forces. The goods purchased in one town can then be sold to another for many times their original worth. This provides a successful merchant with a hefty reward at the end of their journey. The higher the value of goods that the merchant transports, the harder and riskier their journey will become. To make the merchants' life miserable, some players assume the role of a thief. The job of a thief is to kill merchants, take their stuff, and then sell it for their own profit. Thieves are usually team players, selectively attacking their targets as a party, or as a guild (for those who are smart). A hunter is a job designed to get in the way between merchants and thieves. Their mission is to kill thieves, and thus are often hired by merchants as body guards during their trade runs. Successfully completing a job earns the character experience points. These points are used to increase the level of the job, and provide the character with job bonuses. Jobs are not fixed, and can be switched every ten minutes.

Story

Several characters have different goals on the very long path that is known as the Silk Road, and set out to adventure, kill monsters, and generally find fame, glory and power on the Silk Road. However this does not have any importance, for it is just the description of the avatar you choose when making your character.

Community

The game has a wide and constantly growing player base and therefore new servers are in high demand in the English-speaking community. As Silkroad is an MMORPG, all players on the same server play in the same environment. Players can fight alone or join parties (max. 8 players with experience share, otherwise 4), sell items using a merchant stall, or trade items directly. The three main areas so far developed (China, Western China, Oasis Kingdom(Islamic)) consist of main towns, open areas for travel/battle, and "caves"/unique areas. Silkroad also has an extensive guild feature, allowing large groups of people to join together as guilds. As guild members fight, they gain "guild points" that progress their guild to higher levels (which allow for more members and other benefits). Guild trades and hostile guilds can also be established. Normally, only high-level players can create guilds. However, it is still possible for lower levels to create guilds if the required amount of money is given to the non-player character (NPC). Lately the party match system has been added to the game. Players can add their party to a list of parties which are looking for members. You can specify certain details like what level range is desired and what the goal is of the party.

Graphics/Sound

The game is rich in graphics and game play, and the sound is above average with unique new age oriental tunes that invoke a strong theme and relevant ambiance. Almost all skills, attacks, and abilities have unique animations and/or sounds while items all have unique and distinguishable models.

Character development

There are several "elements" in the game one can level to use for an advantage. These "elements" consist of Force Masteries (and techniques): Fire, Ice, Lightning, and Force, and Weapon Masteries (and techniques): Spear/Glaive, Sword/Blade, and Bow. There is a lot of decision making in the game and there are no fixed professions. Skills can even be reclaimed, for a price. Skill points and experience points increase independently, so it is possible to add and/or upgrade many skills between each character level. Character creation allows a choice from several different characters, male and female, as well as their body types, including characteristics like height and weight.

Gaining Experience

In Silkroad the amount of experience you gain for skill points and level depends on the difference between your level and the highest mastery level you have in one element. When you kill a monster, the game takes your highest mastery level and compares it to your level. Higher difference between the two will result in high experience given to skill points instead of level. If the difference is low you will receive more experience for your level.

So if you want to level up faster, keep your mastery level the highest possible at all times, but beware that getting skill points is a tedious task at higher levels.

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